This is what the Mercedes electric truck has in the space where the diesel engine used to be

Mercedes-Benz Trucks will begin series production of the eActros 600 electric at the end of November this year at its Wörth plant. The truck, designed for long-distance transportation, is the flagship of Mercedes and one of the electric trucks with the most autonomy of the market. Logically, it does not have a huge diesel engine, so that space has been used to install a module called front box.

Front box, a module with more than 1,000 components

Mercedes-Benz is stepping on the accelerator and will begin manufacturing the first units of the eActros 600 for customers before the end of 2024. Each truck will have a key component, the so-called “front box”, or front box if we translate it into Spanish.

He front box It is a very advanced module that includes several control units, high voltage components and an electric air compressor. It is located in the space previously occupied by the combustion engine, that is, just below the cabin. And where does the battery go? The batteries are placed on the sides of the frame (where the fuel tanks would be) and, depending on the configuration, also in the middle of it.

This module is not part of the propulsion assembly as such, but it is essential for the truck to move forward. Has more than 1,000 components that are essential for the operation of the truck. The complexity of its structure made it necessary to have a layered design to optimize space, where the components are assembled from the base up.

The mass production of front box marks an important advance after the prototype production phase. The plant in Mannheim (Germany) is not only responsible for preparing the frame and assembling all individual components, but also for carrying out functional tests. This plant also manufactures batteries and high-voltage systems for the Daimler group’s electric trucks.

New production line in a century-old factory

To accommodate the production of front boxa century-old building was renovated from top to bottom: Mercedes inaugurated this plant in 1908! The new production line includes logistics areas and assembly stations that offer great flexibility to adapt to different volumes and product variants. It should be noted that the production of a truck is much more complex than a car, since different types of engines, axles, cabins and, in the case of the eActros, also various battery configurations are marketed.

The assembly line front box It is made up of four sections, each with assembly stations and pre-assembly areas. As each level is completed, the front box It passes through a “quality gate” that verifies assembly before continuing to the next stage. After passing all quality tests, the component is sent to the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth, where the truck is assembled.

Features of the Mercedes-Benz eActros 600

The eActros 600 was presented to the public at the end of 2023 and is designed for long-distance transportation. Its battery has a capacity of 621 kilowatt hours (there are actually 3 batteries of 207 kilowatt hours each), which allows it to 500 kilometers of autonomy in real conditions.

This range can be extended depending on driving style and road conditions, allowing the truck to cover more than 1,000 kilometers a day stopping to recharge during mandatory driver breaks. The eActros 600 supports CCS fast charging and, in the future, will also support MCS charging, with charging powers greater than 1 MW.